1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a picking line for inserting products into a packaging container, having a conveyor belt for supplying and transporting products in a transport direction and having at least one picker equipped with a position image processing system for determining the position of the products on the conveyor belt. The scope of the invention also includes a method for operating the picking line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Picker lines equipped with an image processing system for detecting the positions of products in random orientations on a moving conveyor belt are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,056 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,895.
There are also known image processing systems for inspecting predetermined quality features such as the color and shape of a product.
In picking lines for packaging products using the pick and place system, the quality testing of the products to be packaged, e.g. biscuits and similar small baked goods, is usually carried out by visually inspecting the products being supplied on a conveyor belt. Products that do not conform to the quality requirements are rejected manually.
It is also conceivable to basically use known image processing systems to inspect the quality of the products supplied on a conveyor belt before they are packaged in a picking line and to automatically reject products that do not conform to the required quality standard, e.g. by means of the method described in WO 2004/018332.